42. Northern Europe
= Scandinavian countries (Norway and Sweden) + Finland, Denmark and Iceland
Norway and Sweden = mountainous relief
Scandinavian mts.
Finland and Denmark = low-lying countries
Iceland = volcanic origin
Norway
Capital: Oslo
Population: 4.2 million
GDP/capita (2001): 33,000$
• located along western coast of Scandinavian peninsula, long and narrow country in its
northern part, influenced by the warm Gulf stream => sea never freezes.
• spectacular landscape – most of the country consists of thousand of deep islands and
fjords
ice age => tourism
• fjords – natural harbours providing shelter for communities of fishermen and farmers
• many people employed in oil and natural gas extraction, shipbuilding and mining
• the largest oil producer of Europe
North Sea, but produces a plenty of electricity by
steep mountains and rivers => aluminium steelworks
hydro-electric power
• fishing, forestry and agriculture = 5% of the total workforce
• 1 of the largest shipping fleets in the world, the most important port – Oslo
• other large cities: Bergen, Trondheim
Sweden
Capital: Stockholm
Population: 8.5 million
GDP/capita (2001): 26,000$
• long industrial traditions + highly skilled labour = 1 of the world´s most advanced
manufacturing countries
• population concentrates in the fertile south
• equal rights and well-developed social system, low unemployment (6%) but very high
taxes and prices
• recycling system + conservation of cultural heritage and environment (Lake Vänern)
• people are employed mainly in manufacturing and high-tech industries
• other large cities: Göteborg, Malmö, Uppsala
Finland
Capital: Helsinki
Population: 5 million
GDP/capita (2001): 24,000$
• country of thousand lakes (50,000) – 10% of the country´s area, large forest regions
(boreal), half of the year it is carpeted by snow, bounded by Gulf of Finland and Bothnia
• centuries of Swedish + Russian rule resulted in the independence of the country in 1917
• distinctive language and culture (Ugro-Finnish language group)
• wood-processing industry (>70% of total land use), and timber waste is used to produce
electricity
• Lapland – the icy north of Finland, Sweden and Norway, Lapps live here herding
reindeers for milk and meat consumption
• other large cities: Turku, Tampere
Denmark
Capital: Copenhagen
Population: 5,4 million
GDP/capita (2001): 33,000$
• located in Jutland peninsula bounded by Strait of Skagerrak and Strait of Kattegat
• considered to be the granary of European Union
lowlands = 1 of the flattest lands in
the world
• famous architecture – Danes combine local materials (cement, bricks and timber) to
create buildings harmonizing with the environment (solar panels + insulation) – in
Finland too
• 1/3 of all the people work in SME, intensive pig and dairy farming, design of furniture
and glassware, Legoland
• men play important role in child care, i.e. number of working women has increased. This
has happened yet in Norway and Sweden. However, they live quite unhealthy way of life
(cigarettes, alcohol since 16 yrs., etc.)
• other large cities: Frederikshavn, Odense
Iceland
Capital: Reykjavik
Population: 290,000
GDP/capita (2001): 29,000$
• volcanic island => lot of bubbling hot springs and mud pools => heating of towns by
underground hot water (by geothermal heat)
• plenty of icebergs beyond the polar circle
• SE part of Iceland is influenced by Gulf stream
Population living in Northern Europe is mainly protestant.
Keywords
Scandinavia, fjords, islands, lakes, Lapland, icebergs